Which three services make up the regular Canadian Forces?
Citizenship Test overview
Citizenship Test: Citizenship responsibilities and the Oath
The responsibilities that come with citizenship (obeying the law, jury duty, voting, helping others, protecting heritage and environment), defending Canada, the Oath of Citizenship, and what happens at the citizenship ceremony.
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Study reference: Discover Canada (IRCC online edition, 2026), Ch. 1 Rights and Responsibilities of Citizenship — Citizenship responsibilities, Defending Canada; The Oath of Citizenship; Applying for Citizenship
All 20 questions in this test
Every question and its answer choices. The correct answers and explanations appear when you take the test above.
Which three services make up the regular Canadian Forces?
- Army, police and coast guard
- Navy, army and air force
- Navy, militia and cadets
- Air force, RCMP and fire service
Is military service compulsory in Canada?
- Only during federal elections
- No, there is no compulsory service
- Yes, for one year after high school
- Yes, for all men aged 18
According to the guide, what does work contribute to besides Canada's prosperity?
- Exemption from jury duty
- Eligibility to vote
- Personal dignity and self-respect
- A right to free housing from the government
Which form must you sign as part of the citizenship ceremony process?
- The voters' list
- A jury duty registration
- The oath form
- The Charter of Rights
A teenager wants to learn discipline and responsibility through a youth program linked to the military. What does the guide suggest?
- Serving on a jury
- Enlisting in the RCMP
- Joining the Senate pages
- Joining the cadets
Besides the armed forces, which service does the guide name as another way to protect your community?
- The Bank of Canada
- The Senate
- The Coast Guard
- Elections Canada
Volunteering at a food bank is an example of which responsibility?
- Obeying the law
- Helping others in the community
- Voting in elections
- Serving in the Canadian Forces
What does the rule of law mean, as described in Discover Canada?
- Laws apply only to new citizens
- The police decide what is legal
- No person or group is above the law
- Judges may make any law they like
Which of these does the guide suggest as a way to prepare for the citizenship test?
- Memorize the names of all MPs
- Practise questions with a friend or family member
- Wait until after the oath ceremony to start studying
- Read only the history chapter
Avoiding waste and pollution is part of which citizenship responsibility?
- Obeying municipal by-laws
- Protecting our heritage and environment
- Helping newcomers integrate
- Taking care of one's family and dependants
The Oath of Citizenship says the Constitution recognizes and affirms the Aboriginal and treaty rights of which peoples?
- First Nations, Inuit and Métis
- First Nations only
- Acadians, Loyalists and Quebecers
- Inuit and Acadians
When new Canadians take the Oath of Citizenship, to whom do they pledge loyalty?
- The flag of Canada
- The Prime Minister
- The Supreme Court
- The Sovereign
Which three terms describe Canada's form of government?
- Direct democracy, confederation, republic
- Constitutional monarchy, parliamentary democracy, federal state
- Republic, parliamentary democracy, unitary state
- Absolute monarchy, federal state, republic
Which of these is a responsibility of Canadian citizenship?
- Learning both official languages
- Joining a political party
- Owning a home
- Serving on a jury when called
Why do Canadians swear loyalty to a person rather than to a flag or a constitution?
- The Sovereign personifies Canada
- The flag is not official
- The Prime Minister requires it
- The constitution is unwritten
Getting a job and taking care of your family are examples of which citizenship responsibility?
- Protecting our heritage and environment
- Serving in the Canadian Forces
- Taking responsibility for oneself and one's family
- Helping others in the community
Which elections does the responsibility to vote cover?
- Provincial elections only
- Federal elections only
- Federal, provincial or territorial, and local
- Only referendums on the constitution
You receive a summons to serve on a jury. What does Canadian law expect?
- You are legally required to serve
- You may ignore it if you are busy
- You serve only if you volunteer
- Only lawyers have to serve
What do you do at your citizenship ceremony?
- Write the citizenship test again
- Choose your electoral district and political party
- Take the Oath and complete the oath form
- Give a speech to the judge
After you pass the test and meet the other requirements, which document tells you the date and place of your ceremony?
- A Notice to Appear to Take the Oath
- A voter information card from Elections Canada
- A permanent resident card
- A Notice of Assessment
Citizenship responsibilities and the Oath: key rules to remember
Our summary of what the official handbook says on this topic, in our own words. Read it before or after the practice questions above, then check the original chapter. Read the official chapter ↗
Citizenship responsibilities
- In Canada, rights come with responsibilities. The guide lists six:
- Obeying the law: the rule of law is a founding principle; individuals and governments are regulated by laws, not arbitrary actions; no person or group is above the law.
- Taking responsibility for oneself and one's family: getting a job, caring for family, working hard within one's abilities; work contributes to dignity, self-respect and prosperity.
- Serving on a jury: legally required when called; a privilege; the justice system depends on impartial juries of citizens.
- Voting in elections: the right to vote comes with a responsibility to vote in federal, provincial or territorial, and local elections.
- Helping others in the community: volunteering without pay (food bank, child's school, helping newcomers); a way to gain skills, friends and contacts.
- Protecting and enjoying heritage and environment: avoid waste and pollution; protect natural, cultural and architectural heritage for future generations.
Defending Canada
- No compulsory military service in Canada.
- Regular Canadian Forces = navy, army and air force; described as a noble contribution and an excellent career.
- Part-time options: naval reserve, militia and air reserves. Young people can join the cadets.
- Other service: Coast Guard, police force, fire department and other emergency services.
The Oath of Citizenship
- New citizens swear (or affirm) to be faithful and bear true allegiance to the Sovereign, King of Canada, his heirs and successors; to faithfully observe the laws of Canada, including the Constitution, which recognizes and affirms the Aboriginal and treaty rights of First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples; and to fulfil their duties as a Canadian citizen.
- The Oath now refers to Aboriginal and treaty rights of Indigenous peoples.
- Canadians profess loyalty to a person who represents all Canadians (the Sovereign), not to a document (constitution), a banner (flag) or a geopolitical entity (country).
- The oath is repeated at the citizenship ceremony.
After the test
- If you pass and meet the other requirements, you receive a Notice to Appear to Take the Oath of Citizenship (date, time and place of the ceremony).
- You take the Oath of Citizenship and complete the oath form. Certificate timing depends on the ceremony format and whether you choose paper or electronic proof. At a virtual ceremony, follow the instructions to sign and return the form on the day you take the oath; your certificate may be available later.
- Family and friends are encouraged to attend.
- Ways the guide suggests to prepare: study the guide, practise with a friend or family member, ask about citizenship classes (schools, colleges, community centres, immigrant-service organizations), take free government English or French classes.
Message to Our Readers
- Canada is a constitutional monarchy, a parliamentary democracy and a federal state.
- Applicants aged 18 to 54 must have adequate knowledge of English or French and take the knowledge test.
- Citizens must obey Canada's laws and respect the rights and freedoms of others.
Study the Citizenship responsibilities and the Oath rules as flashcards →
Other topics
- Rights and freedomsWhere Canadian rights come from: Magna Carta, English common law and the French civil code, the four fundamental freedoms, habeas corpus, the 1982 Charter of Rights and Freedoms, mobility, Aboriginal and language rights, multiculturalism and the equality of women and men.
- Who we are: founding peoples and diversityThe three founding peoples, First Nations, Inuit and Métis, residential schools, English and French Canada, Acadians and Quebecers, and the diversity of languages, religions and origins in Canada today.
- History: first peoples to 1791Aboriginal ways of life, the Vikings, John Cabot and Jacques Cartier, Champlain and New France, the fur trade and the Hudson's Bay Company, the Plains of Abraham, the Quebec Act, the Loyalists and the first elected assemblies.
- History: 1791 to ConfederationThe abolition of slavery, the early economy, the War of 1812, the Rebellions of 1837–38, responsible government, the Fathers of Confederation and the birth of the Dominion of Canada on July 1, 1867.
- History: the Dominion and the World WarsExpansion of the Dominion, Sir John A. Macdonald, Louis Riel and the Métis, the North West Mounted Police, the Canadian Pacific Railway, western settlement, the First World War, women's right to vote, the Depression and the Second World War.
- Modern Canada since 1945Postwar prosperity and social programs, NATO, NORAD and the United Nations, the Quiet Revolution, official languages and the Quebec referendums, the extension of the vote, refugees and multiculturalism.
- Arts, sports, science and inventionsCanadian writers, painters and filmmakers, sports heroes such as Terry Fox and Wayne Gretzky, Nobel Prize-winning scientists, and great Canadian discoveries and inventions from insulin to the Canadarm.
- How Canadians govern themselvesCanada as a federal state, a parliamentary democracy and a constitutional monarchy: federal and provincial powers, the three parts of Parliament, how a bill becomes law, the Sovereign, the Governor General, Lieutenant Governors, Premiers and Commissioners.
- Federal elections and votingWhen federal elections are held, electoral districts and candidates, who may vote, the voters' list and voter information card, the secret ballot, majority and minority government, the Cabinet and opposition, voting procedures and municipal government.
- The justice systemDue process and the presumption of innocence, the rule of law, the Supreme Court and other courts, the RCMP and provincial and municipal police, questioning police conduct, lawyers and legal aid.
- Canadian symbolsThe Crown, the national flag and the Red Ensign, the maple leaf, the fleur-de-lys, the coat of arms and motto, the Parliament Buildings, national sports, the beaver, the official languages and the national and royal anthems.
- Honours and national holidaysThe Order of Canada, the Victoria Cross and its Canadian recipients, and the dates of national public holidays and other important days such as Vimy Day, Canada Day and Remembrance Day.
- Canada's economyCanada as a trading nation, free trade with the United States and Mexico, the three main types of industries (service, manufacturing, natural resources) and the Canada–U.S. trading relationship.
- Regions: geography, the capital and Atlantic CanadaCanada's size, oceans and five regions, provinces, territories and capital cities, Ottawa as the national capital, and the four Atlantic provinces.
- Regions: Central Canada, the Prairies, the West Coast and the NorthQuebec and Ontario, the Great Lakes, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta, British Columbia, and Yukon, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut, with their resources, cities and landmarks.